Special Retreat Australia April 2004 | Rosemary & Steve Knowledgebase

Old Students' Special Retreat Australia April 2004

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At present there are 49 entries in this list.

Teacher
Day
Index
Question
Steve
3
1
I find great difficulty arousing compassion for those who have food and shelter, even those driven to desperation and suicide.
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.01
Written answer
Steve
3
2
When I did walking meditation recently I managed to let go of all thought easily. However when restlessness arose again, I changed to close-up awareness in order to let go again. It seemed to work. Do you think this is a suitable method to use in this situation?
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.02
Written answer
Steve
3
3
Having observed various unbeneficial conditioning, like the eight worldly dhammas, achievement mind, the competitive drive and comparing myself with others during my second 20-day retreat, even on the spiritual level, can I have some more hints for returning to the West?
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.03
Written answer
Steve
3
4
Can you please give me a proper technique to work with conceit?
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.04
Written answer
Steve
3
5
What is there to keep in mind wif I return home?
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.05
Written answer
Steve
3
6
This is not really a Dhamma question, this is a physical question. I have tensions in my shoulder and knee area. Could you please comment on the sitting posture.
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.06
Written answer
Steve
3
7
I observe that my mind worries and plans a lot about the future. Is this maybe due to doing too much death reflection?
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.07
Written answer
Steve
3
8
The sitting posture makes problems, I become a little impatient with it. Can you help?
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.08
Written answer
- Broken back
- Sitting posture
Steve
3
9
Sometimes I wonder what I am going to do in my life with all these insights into the Dhamma.
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.09
Written answer
Steve
3
10
How should I react towards cruel, raw, immoral actions which I would never ever commit, let alone intend to do, thought of it or dreamt of, yet which seemed to overflow my mind?
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.10
Written answer
Steve
4
1
Can I be a Buddhist and not believe in rebirth?
Ref: 2004.04.x.04.01
Written answer
Steve
4
2
Rosemary explained equanimity very clearly yesterday. How can we apply it when suddenly everything seems to happen at once, all of equal importance, and one becomes almost overwhelmed?
Ref: 2004.04.x.04.02
Written answer
Steve
4
3
Being brought up Christian, I wondered what happened to God?
Ref: 2004.04.x.04.03
Written answer
Steve
4
4
I can't help recalling my first retreat - the monk's hut and path that I used to sweep (this is at Wat Kow Tahm for those of you who haven't been there yet), the term "once-returner" and "go forth with heedfulness", these sorts of things, they all give me a lot of energy. They are a refuge for me also. And on this retreat, once again, they are from time to time inspiration. The energy that I got on the first retreat I can always savor. What other energy should I concentrate and build on? Should I put effort in simple and subtle things that give one energy?
Ref: 2004.04.x.04.04
Written answer
Steve
4
5
Sometimes you can see somebody suffering due to unwise choices they've made. I'm inclined to hope that they're suffering deeply in order to help them in the long run and lead to greater awareness. This does not seem to be the compassionate thing to do, even though I am wishing for their growth.
Ref: 2004.04.x.04.05
Written answer
Steve
4
6
When one looks back on one's life, there's a feeling of inevitability about it all. Or to put it another way, that it was meant to happen. Is this by chance or was it really meant to happen? Does this take away freedom of choice in what we do?
Ref: 2004.04.x.04.06
Written answer
Steve
4
7
For a Westerner, non-attachment to material objects is an area of the practice I am developing without major difficulties. However, non-attachment to family, friends, and my daughter in particular, is extremely difficult. How can I work on this?
Ref: 2004.04.x.04.07
Written answer
Steve
4
8
Evil triumphs when good people do nothing. By staying detached from world events such as war and politics, are we doing nothing?
Ref: 2004.04.x.04.08
Written answer
Steve
5
1
When in a hall with a Buddhist statue, before and after a formal meditation we bow to the Triple Gem. We're not bowing to the manmade statue, why then do we not bow to the Triple Gem when meditating in rooms with no statue?
Ref: 2004.04.x.05.01
Written answer
Steve
5
2
One thing has always puzzled me, and Steve saying that if we don't ask questions we'll be reborn stupid in the next life has brought it up again. If we are reborn stupid, we, who we are now, won't know about it, so why should we worry about the next life?
Ref: 2004.04.x.05.02
Written answer
Steve
5
3
One can't help reading about breaking up of relationships, divorce, etc. If one loses one's trust in a person, can it ever be regained? Is there a special technique which would help?
Ref: 2004.04.x.05.03
Written answer
Steve
5
4
Can you please explain intuition, and how this differs from wisdom? Is this an innate thing to be developed in everyone, or something to be developed in practice?
Ref: 2004.04.x.05.04
Written answer
Steve
5
5
Why doesn't the body want to sit still?
Ref: 2004.04.x.05.05
Written answer
Steve
5
6
Are there any living people today who have perfected all the Paramis?
Ref: 2004.04.x.05.06
Written answer
- Arahant
- Teachers
Steve
5
7
Is tidiness seen as a Buddhist virtue, how about other Protestant virtues like hard work, thrift, abstinence, etc.?
Ref: 2004.04.x.05.07
Written answer
Steve
5
8
Once again I experience different kinds of concentration phenomena, especially a strong pain in the heart area. How can I react properly?
Ref: 2004.04.x.05.08
Written answer
Rosemary
6
1
Are there any aspects of the Theravadin tradition which you consider to be cultural and not the Buddha Dhamma, and you have rejected as a result of your own investigation into the Dhamma?
Ref: 2004.04.x.06.01
Written answer
Rosemary
6
2
Competition? Good, bad or ugly?
Ref: 2004.04.x.06.02
Written answer
Rosemary
6
3
On the one hand we wish ourselves and others to be free of Dukkha, on the other hand we must see Dukkha in the world to progress in the practice, how to reconcile?
Ref: 2004.04.x.06.03
Written answer
- Four Noble Truths
- Dukkha
Rosemary
6
4
How can we grow in Renunciation?
Ref: 2004.04.x.06.04
Written answer
Rosemary
7
1
What is a good way to respond to someone who asks "What is Buddhism?", when that person has very little or probably the wrong idea?
Ref: 2004.04.x.07.01
Written answer
- What is Buddhism?
Rosemary
7
2
Being born stupid again is not one of my preferred options, nor is rebirth in hell. Murdering one's parents gains automatic entry, I'm safe there, but what else will gain us entry?
Ref: 2004.04.x.07.02
Written answer
Rosemary
7
3
I understand the technique how to separate the actions of tyrants and have compassion for them, but it is difficult to extend this to their children who are often worse than their parents. Does the same technique apply to them, too? This is very difficult.
Ref: 2004.04.x.07.03
Written answer
Rosemary
7
4
What do you think about visiting Bodh Gaya and Historical Religious Sites in the middle of Thailand? I'm thinking of the physical as well as the spiritual.
Ref: 2004.04.x.07.04
Written answer
Rosemary
7
5
Could you please discuss any techniques that are helpful with chronic pain and illnesses?
Ref: 2004.04.x.07.05
Written answer
Rosemary
7
6
I'm really impatient to gain that virtue, and what's the name of it, oh yes, patience. Please tell me how to gain it instantly!
Ref: 2004.04.x.07.06
Written answer
Rosemary
7
7
I try to plan for my future financial security, this is so I might be able to pursue my Dhamma path more fully, possibly work voluntarily and be secure if I live to an old age. How do you view this type of planning with regards to generosity and renunciation? It is having concern for the future which might not come, but then again it might?
Ref: 2004.04.x.07.07
Written answer
Rosemary
7
8
Oh, patience! Why is patience a Paramis, when, for example, concentration is not? And how do we grow in it?
Ref: 2004.04.x.07.08
Written answer
Steve
8
1
In the 20 Suttas that you prepare and email out to old students, if they want it, why did you choose those specific Suttas apart from other Suttas?
Ref: 2004.04.x.08.01
Written answer
- Twenty Suttas
- Sutta reading
Steve
8
2
What can we do to not be lonely?
Ref: 2004.04.x.08.02
Written answer
Steve
8
3
When somebody confronts me angrily, aggressively, it seems my own anger flares instantly. Even though I am conscious of the body and of not wishing to have this mind-state, it is there. Usually in these situations, it is not possible to excuse oneself and go to the bathroom for a few minutes. Help!
Ref: 2004.04.x.08.03
Written answer
Steve
8
4
Sometimes at home I feel a little bit isolated, considering that within the Sangha, there are not people I can talk to about certain aspects of the practice, as they're not as experienced as I am. How can I work with this situation?
Ref: 2004.04.x.08.04
Written answer
Steve
8
5
Sometimes my reflections don't go deeply into my mind, they seem to be rather shallow, what is there to consider?
Ref: 2004.04.x.08.05
Written answer
Steve
8
6
I feel quite a bit of pressure sometimes coming from expectations of the family, in particular my parents. How can I deal with this?
Ref: 2004.04.x.08.06
Written answer
Rosemary
9
1
Are there any benefits to being Westerners with regards to Dhamma practice? I mean more from the mental and social conditioning point of view than the material advantages.
Ref: 2004.04.x.09.01
Written answer
Rosemary
9
2
On the topic of the Dhamma bank, isn't there a risk of thinking you have more than you do in the bank, and then when you go to make a big withdrawal, there's not enough in.
Ref: 2004.04.x.09.02
Written answer
- Dhamma bank
Rosemary
9
3
If I buy meat at the supermarket, that's creating a demand for meat. Am I not directly responsible for the killing of that animal?
Ref: 2004.04.x.09.03
Written answer
Rosemary
9
4
In our meditation sessions at home, are a few long sessions more useful than many short ones? What is the shortest useful period? Is five minutes any good or tending to devalue the practice?
Ref: 2004.04.x.09.04
Written answer
- Home
- Regular practice
Rosemary
9
5
It seems to me that there is more than one level to work on in order to let go of ignorance. Can you tell me more about it?
Ref: 2004.04.x.09.05
Written answer
- Ignorance
- Levels of practice